On Wednesday morning we joined Manchester's Street Engagement Team on one of their regular walkabouts checking on the city's homeless
It's just after 4am, it's pouring down and the temperature is a little over 6C. Under the arches of the town hall extension, just off Albert Square, five rough sleepers are bedded down on makeshift cardboard mattresses.
Counting Manchester's homeless Every month members of Manchester's Street Engagement Team, which includes police, council staff and health workers, among others, do an early hours walkabout following the same four mile route through the city centre. The purpose is threefold: to count the number of people sleeping rough; to check they're alright, especially when the temperatures start to fall; and to encourage them to seek help and support.
'Just leave me alone, man' On Oldham Street two men are sleeping under a canopy at the entrance to a new block of flats. "Just leave me alone man," says one when approached. "Just f*** off." But despite that help being available, there's still a fairly sizable number of people sleeping rough on the streets of Manchester city centre every night. The numbers fluctuate, but this year there's been a general upward trend.
And in recent months there's also been a rise in the number of asylum seekers and foreign nationals on the streets. Alongside the man from Eritrea, on Wednesday the team spoke with rough sleepers from Hungary, Ethiopia, Italy and Iran. But for those on the coalface the reality is far different. "It's the demonisation of people," says Kevin. "It's not a lifestyle choice for the overwhelming majority who really don't want to be in this awful position."
Manchester Rough Sleepers Police Officer Eritrea East Africa Wakefield West Yorkshire
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